


Weighing 0 and 21 on the Scales of 8

by IceQueen975



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Multi, bodyswap au, does have vaugely questionable relationship, talks of abuse, this is a bit self-indulgent, tw abuse, tw school shootings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-08 14:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15245451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceQueen975/pseuds/IceQueen975
Summary: Akira Kurusu had just awakened his Persona when he went to bed that night. Alexandra Fortsworth had just gotten to the point in the new Persona 5 video game where the protagonist awakened his persona before going to bed. When the pair wake up, they're not in their rooms anymore but rather one another's bodies. Now it's a race to figure out how to switch back while dealing with court rooms, Japanese high school, stealing hearts and grinding levels to figure out the pitfalls of the future.But the question remains: who has the right to decide what 'justice' is?





	1. Prologue: The Interrogation Room

The edges of my vision were hazy, flickering between black-and-orange spots and my surroundings. I felt as if I still wasn’t getting enough air. But my chest felt so much worse; my heart was breaking. I had kept hoping, praying, that it would be a mistake. Even now, with a plan fully formed, ready to implement... I couldn’t do it. It was genuinely suicidal. Maybe I wanted to die? Months of looking and trying to figure out how to get back home. Nothing but hot sand slipping through my fingers. What were the ramifications anyway, of having your soul in another person’s body? I didn’t want to fathom it; it was the kind of question he and I would have tossed around for hours. It only made my heart break more.

I looked up at Sae Nijima. She sat across from me, body tense. Her arms were crossed but I could tell there was a nervous, would-up energy in her. “...I see. So that’s what led up to you being here.” She sighed. A hand habitually smoothed her side swept bangs. “What a disappointing end for the hero of justice.” She looked down in thought. “I still can’t believe it... but I now have a general idea for the methods you used for your crimes. There’s so much more I want to ask... but my allotted time is almost up.” She leaned forward. “I _do_ have a suggestion, though.” I rested my pounding head on one of my handcuffed hands. There was a hard glint in her eyes, reminiscent of her shadow. “Care to strike a deal? If you cooperate with me, I’ll consider lightening your sentence.” I remained silent; offering a plea bargain was Lawyer 101. If she was offering me a deal, she most likely didn’t have true proof. Neither did the Japanese SIU. The crimes of the Black Masked persona user were essentially being pinned on me. “I have a responsibility to solve this case. I will win, even if it means brokering a deal with you.”

“You mean you have no solid proof.” I replied. My voice seemed to echo in the empty, grey room. “Regarding the full extent of my supposed crimes.”

Sae looked at me, eyes flashing. Her gaze was almost a mirror of Makoto’s when she was angry. “Your operation was leaked and you failed to change my heart. There’s no point in being obstinate now.”

“Are you sure? How would you know? A change of heart isn’t always drastic. Last I checked... you’re not a cruel, evil person, are you?” I challenged.

She looked at me in surprise. “Did you... then?” There was the smallest hint of fear in her voice.

“No.” I answered truthfully. “Your Shadow was willing to listen; you backed down on your own when you saw reason. Though that too could be seen as a change of heart. Just one of your own device.”

The prosecutor leaned back in her chair again, arms crossed. Thoughtful. “...yes. You and he think alike. Don’t you?”

“To an extent.”

“You’ll most likely be given life imprisonment or the death penalty unless you accept my proposal.” Her gaze softened a bit. “...maybe you were successful. I...” Sae hesitated, gaze flickering to the camera in the corner. The red light was off, but I knew Futaba was secretly listening in. “... I don’t want you to die like this. You deserve better.”

I leaned back. My muscles spasmed a bit, aching, body still trying to flush out the drugs. “I’ll save you the trouble Miss Sae; I won’t tell you the identity of the others. I won’t stab them in the back.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Then let me change the question; were there others outside your direct group who encouraged your crimes or aided in their execution?” I stared at her. “Your life will be forfeit if you don’t cooperate.”

“There were no such people.” I never broke eye contact with her as I spoke.

She sighed. “I see. You’re truly ready to die for them.”

“When you find things, causes and people who breathe life back into you, you don’t throw them away. Anything worth having requires work and sacrifice.”

“Spoken like an adult.” Sae shook her head. Something flashed in her eyes. “Then let’s discuss one other person; Goro Akechi.” The ache in my chest intensified. For a moment I forgot where I was and instead was sitting outside an ice cream store in Shibuya.

The sun beat down on my body, sweat running down the back of my neck. Goro was taking a picture of his ice cream. “It’s supposed to be American-style. Thought you’d be the best judge of that.” he smiled. He sidled to my side and switching his smart phone’s camera to selfie mode. “Come on, smile!”

“I’m not photogenic...” I said in embarrassment. “Plus won’t your rabid fangirls try to kill me?”

“Who said I’m positing this one on the blog?” His smile reached his eyes, warm and genuine. “Maybe I want to have a memory?”

A pair of hands slammed on the cold metal table. “Are you listening?!” Sae snapped. I blinked, eyes blurry. I felt a few tears run down my face, unwanted. She sighed, sitting back down and calming. “Akechi-san... was he a part of your group too?”

“No.”

She shook her head. “Very well then.” She shifted in her seat, visibly uncomfortable with my tears. I didn’t wipe them away; wouldn’t apologize for what I was feeling. “You clearly have no intention to bargain with me.”

“I said that from the start.”

“...I’m unsure if your level of dedication is admirable... or suicidal.”

“I’m trying to figure that out too.” I admitted.

“Why won’t you talk about them?”

I looked up at her. The tears were drying on my cheeks. The drugs were fading more and more as the minutes ticked by. Anger was mixing with the heartbreak, coating my mouth in bitter-hot bile. “It’s a dirty tactic.”

Sae stood again, slamming her hands on the table. “Don’t be ridiculous! Who are you to decide such things!”

“And you are that person, Miss Sae? Do you truly think your view of the world is the most correct of them all?” I shook my head. “This isn’t justice... none of this is justice...” I hissed at the end, looking to my hands. My wrists were raw and scabbed over, threatening to bleed again at any moment.

“Then tell me; what is this ‘justice’ you speak of!?” The cold glint was gone; all there was now was an almost desperate confusion. She was trying to make sense of what was going on. A memory flashed through my mind, of Makoto telling me about how her father had died.

I looked up at her. “It’s saving people. Giving those who show remorse, redemption. It’s saving someone when they think no one will help them because they’re a nobody. That’s what your father did.” Her eyes widened. “And what you did too, before you became focused on praise.” There was guilt in her face now. “Miss Sae. You’re a good person. But even good people lose their way. That doesn’t mean you can’t correct your path... however...”

Slowly, the woman sat back down. Her expression was clouded in a myriad of muddy emotions. “... You’re right. We have no evidence against you.” She sighed. “It doesn’t help that your story sounds like a fairy tale... or maybe a nightmare.” She looked away. “I don’t even know what the truth is anymore...” she whispered bitterly.

“Are you really going to leave it just like this, then?”

She turned back to me. “This?”

“Do you really think the Phantom Thieves are responsible for the mental shutdowns?”

“...no.”

“Why.”

“Because they began two years prior to the Kamoshida case.” she answered. Sae tugged at her left sleeve, looking at a slim, stylish silver watch on her wrist. “Although I find your story quite interesting, I won’t be able to speak to you any longer.

I leaned my cheek on my hand again. “You’re giving up?”

“What are you getting at?” She sighed in annoyance. “I won’t be receiving credit for this either way. I had to pull a lot of favors just to get into the interrogation room.” she glanced at her watch again. “Our time is up. We’re done talking here... goodbye.” Her goodbye sounded pained and she hesitated.

“You have more questions?” I surmised. She nodded. “Good. You never uncover the truth without it. No matter how painful.”

“Recently I was removed from my post as head of the investigation and told remain to on standby. A short while later I was told you were caught in the act... within a bizarre phenomenon.” She looked to me. “You were told someone sold you out, correct?” I nodded. “Do you have any idea who it could have been?” The pain in my chest burned again. My face must have shown it. Sae leaned forward. “You know, don’t you? Who was it?” she pressed.

I thought for a moment. What I said next would change everything. I was playing with my life... and Akira Kurusu’s as well. “...the person I liked most.”

Sae’s eyes went wide. “It can’t be...” she whispered.

“I’m supposed to ask you to give him this phone.” I glanced at Akira’s phone that had been confiscated during my arrest. “But... leave it.”

“But why? After all he’s done...?!”

“I know.” I tried to repress the tears threatening to spill down my face again. “I know. But I won’t... I won’t use him like everyone else has... to save myself.”

Sae crossed her arms. “You think you can talk your way out of it.” I nodded. “This is Russian Roulette.”

“I want to do it ‘fair and square’; there’s no other way.” I smiled bitterly. “Though I technically have no right to make such a decision, given the circumstances.”

“And you’re sure. You're sure you want to do it this way?” I nodded. Sae’s gaze softened. “...you’re a good person. Yet I don’t even know your name. Your real name.”

I looked to the camera again. Still no red light. I turned back to Sae. “My name is Alexandra Fortsworth. I’m a lawyer from New York City, specializing in domestic abuse cases.”

A banging on the metal door signaled the end. The woman across from me stood up slowly, shouldering her purse. “Then Alexandra-san? I’ll place my bet on you.” She turned to the door, her back to me. “...I hope you win this game.” She opened the room’s door and closed it behind her with cold finality.

 

_I’m sorry Akira. Please have faith in me... and in him._


	2. Temales and Curry, Alexandra Side

The elevator door opened with a ‘ping’ and I stepped out, juggling my purse, laptop bag, shopping bag and phone as I tried to pick out my apartment keys from the overloaded keyring. I passed by a young preteen, taking his dog out for an afternoon walk. Once again I cursed the creators of women’s clothes; why were there never pockets in business suit pants?! _Who in this unholy world made that decision anyway?_ I paused in front of the door to my apartment; Room 505. Another moment or two and the key was finally in my fingers. “Finally.” I unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Guess what I got!” I called out as I closed the door.

I set my load down as footsteps sounded down the narrow hall. “Finally got the game?” my roommate asked. I looked up from taking of one off my heels; Myra’s amused face was peaking around the corner from the small kitchen.

“Yep. This bitch is finally gonna be hip with the cool kids!” I grinned, kicking off my other Jimmy Choo heel.

“Never say that again.” Myra deadpanned. “The 90s doesn’t want you anymore.”

I laughed. I picked up my laptop bag and purse. “Did you make me snacks, mom?” I teased.

“Make your own damn snacks.” She snorted as I passed. “I have enough dealing with the students. I swear nap time should extending into 5th grade with how ornery they can act.” Myra’s voice was a bit distance as I went into my room and dropped the two objects into their usual positions.

I sat down and started taking off the thin, nude business socks I’d worn. “How did that parent-teacher conference go by the way?” I called out.

“How do you think?” Myra called back. I grimaced; kids today tended to be raised by the media, for better or worse. With both parents usually working full-time thanks to companies purposefully underpaying workers, it had become a nightmare to be a teacher. If you were in a city it became even more difficult due to poor funding. As I changed I looked out the window. Sunlight streamed into my small room. All that there was room for was a bed, a desk and a set of drawers for clothes. Living in New York City was expensive, small and fast-paced. But there was no better place to be if you were a lawyer. I laid back onto my bed, taking a moment.

Today I had finished the paperwork for my current abuse case; a little girl was being molested by her aunt. Her older brother, no older than 9 years old, had heard his sister crying one night when he’d gotten up to use the restroom. He’d crept in to check on his sister, 6 years of age, and witnessed the assault. In a month’s time the trial would begin with the brother as a key witness. He was already in protective custody along with the sister. I bit my lip. The aunt was out on bail and I knew my case needed to be air-tight to convict the bitch. Women always got away scott-free, if not with a lesser sentence. A glaring flaw in the justice system no one seemed to want to fix. _I_ will _put that sick monster in jail._ I sat up quickly, looking out to the cityscape. _I promise Katie; your aunt will never see the light of day when I’m done with her._ I got up, leaving my room.

Myra was in the kitchen. When I got closer, the scent of tamales wafted through the air. Soon the whole apartment would smell like it. “Smells amazing. As usual.” I complimented, standing in the doorframe. She smiled, winding a messy curl around her finger.

“If I perfect my abuela’s recipe I _know_ I can sell it.” She said. “So you all need to keep being my taste testers.”

“If it means I don’t cook? Sign me up!” I continued on to the front entrance again, picking up the shopping bag. The black and red ‘Gamestop’ logo was emblazoned on the white plastic.

As I passed, Myra called out; “The guys want to watch you play.”

“Are you shitting me?!” I yelled back. “I’ve been waiting a whole month! Do they know how hard I worked to not be spoiled?!” I went into the kitchen. “When do those assholes get back?”

“Someone’s agitated. I don’t think it’s the wait, is it?” Myra leaned back, tawny arms crossed. “What’s wrong?”

I sat at one of the rickety bar stools. “It’s the case I’m working on.”

“Which one?”

“The one with the aunt.”

Myra made a sympathetic sound. “Poor little ninã.” She shook her head. “I’ll never understand. I don’t know how you do it.”

“With rage.” I huffed before letting out a long sigh. I slumped onto the faux-wood counter. “It’ll be my first time in front of a judge too. I’m…. nervous.”

“Don’t be.” She came over and rubbed my back gently. “I’m sure you’ll do great.” Though we’d only met two years ago, Myra had quickly become a wonderful friend. As the silence settled, I let the tension in my body go. I needed this weekend to relax as best I could. Loosing myself in this year’s most anticipated video game was the ideal way to do it.

I looked up. “You know when they’re coming?” As I spoke, the sound of the lock opening broke up the silence.

“Guess who shopped til he dropped!” a male voice called out.

“You mean until _I_ dropped.” A slightly deeper voice corrected.

“You’ve been needing new shoes for 2 months now, don’t even.” The sound of several bags being set down rustled around. “Besides, my discount was steller.” There was stubborn silence. “Come on; who always hooks you and Alexandra up? I got her those Jimmy Choos for 60% off. Choos that she just _kicked off like raggedy sneakers I might add_!” the first male voice yelled at the end. A thumping sound from next door punctuated the end of the sentence.

I tried not to smile. “Sorry Brian. My hands were full.”

Two pairs of footsteps came down the hall. Brian stood in the doorway, lanky body leaning on the frame. “So? Drop that slow-as-molasses computer of yours. Choos don’t come easy you know? I had to _beg_ Mrs. Rutherford to let me keep them after the fashion show.”

“And I love you forever for it.” I replied, sitting up. “Melissa was practically pissing herself today when she saw them.”

“That’s how you do it sweet pea!” Brian came over and high fived me.

My final roommate, Johnathan, came around the corner. “You look like Rodger ran you over.” He put the bags that weighed his arms down before pushing back the blond hair that was getting into his face. “And put your things away Brian. For a fashion consultant, you’re such a slob.”

“Shhhhhh.” Brian put a dark finger to Johnathan’s lips. “I know sugar. I’ll put them away in due time.” He drawled, playing up his natural Southern accent.

“Maybe being so pushy is why Sven left you.” He replied coldly. Brian pulled his finger away as if it had been burned.

Myra groaned. “Not this again.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not gay?” Johnathan snapped.

Brian smirked. “And yet New Years Eve of 2030…”

The other man let out a noise of frustration. “I was drunk. _Let it go_!”

“Friends make the best lovers!” Brian cooed.

“Or you’re projecting your own personal want of your straight best friend onto him.” I deadpanned, my head pounding at their antics. Both silenced. “Resolve your… whatever it is, when I don’t have my first court case threatening to crush my skull with anxiety.

The taller man turned to me, dark eyes full of understanding. “Sorry sweet pea.” Brian said. “I forgot. Did you get the game?” I nodded. “I’ll set up the PS4 than!” Brian left the doorway of the kitchen to go to the living room.

“You forgot your-!” Johnathan growled before gathering up the bags again. “Whatever.” He looked to me. “You’ll be fine. If anyone can win this case, it’s you.”

I smiled. “Thank you.” The blond nodded and went off to dump the shopping bags in Brian’s room. During the boy’s antics, Myra had grabbed some tortilla chips and was finishing up a bowl of salsa for us all to share. “Do we have guac or sour cream?”

“Crema yes. Avocados no. Not enough in the food budget.”

I sighed. “Next time then.” I grabbed the chip bowl and dumped the chips in before taking it into the living room. Brian was perched on the couch, loosening his neutral checkered tie.

“Ah, sustenance.” He sighed, taking the bowl from me. “Thank ya kindly ma’am.” He drawled.

“Thank Myra. I just brought it.” I flopped down next to him and he handed me the game controller. “How was work?”

“I want to choke my current client. Does she not get the 80s is dead and no one wants it back?” he scoffed.

“If you do, take a video. I want it for catharsis.” Johnathan asked as he came in with Myra. “Wan somehow lost some of the files for the case we were working on. The IT department spend almost an hour recovering them. How? _How_?!” he hissed at the end before sitting down and groaning. He put his feet on the low coffee table, black business socks still on. Only his tie was gone, shirt unbuttoned a touch. “Can we switch departments Alex?”

I pressed the ‘Start’ button on the controller. “Not a chance. I want my cases to mean something.” Johnathan grinned but said nothing. Brian took a chip and dipped it in the homemade salsa as Myra settled next to him. The four of us focused on the screen as I selected ‘New Game’.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------

 

My phone screen showed 2:48 am when I glanced at it. Myra had left a few hours ago to rest. Brian yawned, causing Johnathan to slide from leaning on him into his lap. He was out cold. Looking back to the TV screen, I went into the main menu of the game and saved. I took off my glasses and rubbed my stinging eyes. “He’s out.”

“Not sure if it’s from exhaustion or he finally destressed.” Brian laughed quietly. Shyly, he carded a dark hand through his friend’s locks.

I watched them for a moment, putting my glasses back on. “You should tell him.”

“He’s smart enough to know. And I’m smart enough to know his answer.” He replied.

“Are you really okay with it like this?”

Brian hummed. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, hand protectively on Johnathan’s shoulder. “…for now.” There was silence for a moment. I pressed the PS button on the center of the controller to turn off the system before turning off the TV itself with the remote. My roommate turned to me and grinned suddenly. “So how’s _your_ love life sweet pea?”

I made a face. “Not now. You ruined the mood.”

“What mood?” he replied before shaking Johnathan’s shoulder gently. “Hey John, bed time. You need to get up.” There was no response. “Mmmmhmm, this boy is dead to the world.”

“I’ll handle the dishes.” I volunteered as I got up. “You get yourselves to bed.”

“Thanks sweet pea.” Brian shifted Johnathan’s body before gathering him up bridal-style and standing up form the couch. Johnathan didn’t stir. “He’s so lucky he’s handsome when he sleeps.” Brian commented as he passed myself and the kitchen entrance. I shook my head before pulling on the yellow rubber gloves and getting to work. With no dishwasher, everything had to be done by hand. The scent of the tamales lingered in the air, the silence of the apartment soothing. The faint hum of the city mingled with the natural creaks and shifting sounds of the building. Even though New York was the city that never slept, 3 am still tended to be very quiet. When all the dishes were in the drying rack and the food stored away for another day, I took off the gloves and went to my room turning the lights off as I went.

I stripped down before dressing in my pajamas, deciding to skip makeup removal. I would pay for it tomorrow but my head was beginning to pound and my eyes stung form staring at the TV screen for so long right after staring at my work laptop screen. I switched off my light and looked out the window again. The lights of the city glowed softly, making a picturesque scene. As I neared the window to close the curtains, an odd shadow made me stumble back. I was frozen for a moment before realizing the shadow was a butterfly. _Odd._ I came close to the window, crouching down slowly so as not to startle it. The wings seemed to glisten softly in the orange-yellow lamplight. The wings were a lovely golden yellow. The butterfly opened and closed its wings without a care. I sat down, making myself eye level with the insect on the other side of the glass. “It’s Fall you know. Isn’t it late for you? Shouldn’t you be down south?” The butterfly simply opened and closed its wings languidly before taking flight and disappearing into the night.

Standing up, I went to my bed and groaned as I lay down. My body ached from the day; high heels, stockings, skirts, office chairs and the subway system. “Good night butterfly.” I sighed, rolling to my side and curling up. “Find your family and don’t get killed.” I took off my glasses and placed them on the nightstand by my bed before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

 

\----------------------------------------------

An alarm went off. I blindly reached out to turn it off. The silence was glorious as I rolled over. Had I forgotten to turn off my work alarm for the weekend? I burrowed deeper under the covers; it felt a bit chilly. Soon the scent of coffee wafted into my room; was Johnathan already up? I refused to be awoken by the coffee smell, stubbornly grunted and turning away from the smell. I began to drift off again when a voice called; “You’re going to be late for school. Get up!” For a moment I simply lay there, the words not registering. _School…?_ I jerked suddenly, letting out a small, shocked cry; I didn’t recognize that voice at all! It was a man to be sure but it was neither Brian nor Johnathan.

With my eyes open, I was met with the sight of a wood wall near my face. _What…_ I sat up and looked around; this wasn’t my room. But it was familiar. _Isn’t this the attic of Leblanc?_ A thought crossed my mind; causing me to freeze. _Am I me… or…_ Slowly, I pressed my hands against my chest. It was flat. _I’m dreaming. This isn’t real._ I looked down to see Akira Kurusu’s sleeping shirt on me along with his flat chest. It was getting hard to breath. _How is this possible?!_ I shoved off the covers to see Akira’s pajama pants on his legs. Yet this was _my_ body that I was looking at… right? It was getting difficult to draw breath and my mind seemed to buzz; a panic attack. How long had it been since I’d gotten one? I could barely remember. I pulled my knees up to my chest and pressed my forehead to them, trying to count down my breaths.

 

I’d gone to bed myself and woken up as a teenaged boy. And I had a sick feeling this wasn’t a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one will be from Akira's POV. I will note at the end of a chapter if the next one will be from Akira's POV since by default it's form Alexandra's POV. Please leave a comment or kudos, if you'd like.
> 
> Also, a friend of mine was sweet enough to draw Alexandra for me. She can be found here (https://78.media.tumblr.com/4a03d157b40c7c70da992a9911a7274f/tumblr_pc4sga7ViN1qhf52qo1_540.png). She's in the Shujin girls uniform. Unlike Akira she actually need glasses to see. I'm hoping she'll be willing to draw Akira in a business suit like he would be working in the law firm. We'll see.


	3. Temales and Curry, Akira Side

The bell above the café door rang as I entered. Exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. The shock of somehow going into that castle, the disgusting sight of my gym teacher in that pink underwear. The fear of Sakamoto-san being killed and the thrill of awakening that demon from inside of me. Now the adrenaline was gone and I wanted nothing more then to shove me face into my pillow and sleep for three days. Unfortunately, I’d have to get up for school again instead. An early night sounded perfect. The scent of coffee and curry spices wrapped around me. “Hey, I got an interesting call from your school today.” I looked up to see Sakura-san, my probation host. A hand was un his hip and a frown on his face. I had a sinking feeling I knew what this was about. “It’s only your first day and you’re already showing up hours late?” I bit my reply back. I hadn’t asked to be taken to some weird place! All I wanted was to finish this probation year and go home. The anger at the memory of the court hearing make my stomach turn.

“I’m sorry.” I said quietly, bowing my head and keeping my expression calm.

Sakura-san sighed and shook his head. “Look, just behave yourself. Your life is forfeit if anything happens. You understand the meaning of ‘probation’, right?”

“Yes, sir.” I nodded. As my head moved I felt the weight of the thick, plastic frames of the fashion glasses. I focused on the feel of them. A reminder of my decision; I would make no friends. I would make no fuss. And then I would be home with my real friends and parents. I could still hear my mother crying as they took me away in handcuffs.

“Okay then.” He didn’t seem convinced but I was glad the subject was being dropped. A ringtone sounded and Sakura-san pulled out his cell phone. He glanced at the screen before answering. “Hey, what’s up?” The person on the other side replied. I stood awkwardly in front of the café door, unsure if I was dismissed or not. A slight smile appeared on his face. “…yeah I just closed up shop. I’ll be there in half an hour.” Sakura-san glanced at me and frowned again, covering the speaker end with his hand. “Hey, what are you standing around for? Go hurry on up to bed.” I obeyed and walked across the café to the stairs leading to the attic room I now occupied. It was roomy but still needed a lot of work. “…no, I just hired a part-timer.” I heard Sakura-san say, returning to his conversation. “Don’t forget to lock the door and turn off all the lights.” He called after me as I reached the stair’s base.

I turned. “Yes, sir.” I climbed up as he returned to his conversation. When I reached the top I let my school bag fall onto the long table pressed up against the stairs on the landing’s side. Dust still floated in the air. The beams of the roof had cobwebs. Old books were crammed into the shelves up here haphazardly as well as the desk across from the simple futon. I sighed and took off my glasses, rubbing the back of my neck. “What was that place…” I muttered. A dream? An illusion? If it was fake, it was one hell of a dream. But everything was too visceral, too real. I could still feel that power running through me, like a sated beast lazily pacing. I heard the café door open and close; Sakura-san had left for the night. I went back down the stairs and locked the door. The sign had already been flipped to ‘Closed’. I turned the lights off as I went back up to my room. _Who was he talking to. A wife? A child?_

I missed having people to talk to. Part of the probation sentence was forbidding me from contacting my parents unless it was an emergency. All thanks to the ‘violent’ nature of my crime. ‘We are unsure you are safe for unchecked interaction with your family’ they had claimed. ‘You may attempt to attack them in retaliation for your sentence or to coerce them into harboring you.’ It had made me want to throw up; the one time I spoke up, to try and help and I was punished. I hung up my school blazer and resisted the urge to haphazardly change into my pajamas. It was obvious the woman didn’t want to go with the man. What he had planned to do to her I had no idea. I folded up my shirt and placed the black suspends next to it. _He has to be powerful. No one would willingly let their attacker get away like this._ I folded my pants up and mechanically put on my pajamas. _I wonder what he did. Threaten her family? Pay her for her silence?_ My stomach turned again. _This is wrong. This isn’t justice. How many people have ended up like me?_ Before, I never questioned it; bad people were put in jail. Bad people were sentenced. In a way I had been sheltered. Now I was beginning to understand to what degree corruption could spread.

I turned off the light and lay on my bed. The springs squeaked a little. I checked my phone; no messages from my friends back home. Were they scared of me now? Were they abandoning me? I turned to my side and curled up, letting the screen blink off. The thought made me heartsick. I lay in the darkness, staring out into the wide, open, dusty nothing. I wasn’t sure when I stopped staring into space and closed my eyes. I wasn’t sure when I feel asleep. I wasn’t sure if the shimmering gold butterfly I saw fly past my window was real or a dream.

 

\---------------------------------

 

The alarm on my phone didn’t wake me up; the sounds of car horns beeping and traffic moving did. I rolled over, dreading going to school. As I lay there, I realized something was off; Leblanc was on a small, quiet street. There was the distant noise of cars going by but not this many. Not this close. I opened my eyes. Everything was fuzzy. I blinked to try and focus. The world was still blurry. “What…?” I froze; instead of my own voice, I had heard a woman’s. I rubbed my eyes, blinked several more times. The word continued to be fuzzy and bright. I groped forward and was met with air. I turned to the other side and reached out, hand hitting a side table. The only explanation was that I needed glasses. _But that makes no sense; I have perfect vision!_ After a few more moments of groping around I felt a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. I grabbed them and placed them on; the world came into focus. I lay on my back, limbs feeling unpleasantly achy from the sudden spike of adrenaline. _Where am I?_ There was an odd weight on my chest. I reached up to push whatever it was off and touched someone soft and half-covered in cloth. Worse, I felt my own touch. I looked down.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” I screamed, sitting up. A breast. I had grabbed a breast. _My_ breast to be exact. The voice that came out of my mouth was also distinctly female. I pulled off the covers and looked down. Long, smooth legs and a pair of short pink and white shorts. A top of some kind with thin straps, no sleeves and a low neckline shoving off the chest. For the first time I looked at my surroundings. There was a large window with the curtains half-open. The room was littered with clothes, jewelry, makeup, a vanity with three different bottles of expensive-looking perfume.

There was a knock on the door. “You okay Alexandra?” The voice outside the door was male. A stranger. With an accent.

“I-I don’t know.” I choked out, still numb with shock.

“Can I help or is it a woman problem?” the voice asked.

The thought of a stranger coming in scared me just as much as waking up in a woman’s body right now. “I’ll take- I’ll take care of it.”

“Well all right sweet pea.” He replied, accent thick to my ears. “Let me know if ya need anythin’. And hurry up; Myra’s fixin’ up some flapjacks.” I faintly heard someone else yell ‘Pancakes!’. “I know what I said, ya Yank!” the voice yelled back, trailing off. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing. I needed to calm down. _First thing’s first; what was the last thing I remember?_ Falling asleep. Sakura-san had chastised me for missing half of my first day of school. Before that, Kawakami-sensei had told me to stay away from Sakamoto Ryuji. And before that… the odd castle with Kamoshida-sensei. It had been startling, seeing him at the school’s gate in normal attire, unaware of neither what he’d said to Sakamoto-san nor what he’d done. When I’d fallen asleep, there had been no odd sounds. No reason to wake up like this. I hadn’t even dreamt!

My breath came normally now. At some pint I’d pressed my forehead to the heels of my hands. I slowly relaxed, uncurling into a normal sitting position on the bed. First thing’s first; I needed to see where I was and how I looked like. Then maybe I could ask that man or ‘Myra’ what was going on. I got out of the bed and looked around the room. There was a mirror near the half-covered window. I went to the window first, pushing back the curtains and letting the morning sun in. Tall building of brick and steel greeted me. I looked down and saw cars moving around including quite a few yellow taxis. There were a few billboard signs in slightly worn shape. I tried to read them but to no avail; the letters weren’t kanji or hiragana but rather the Latin alphabet. Was I in a Western country? I pulled away from the sight and went to the full-length mirror.

The person who stared back was a total stranger. Red-blond hair just past the shoulders and green eyes complimented the freckles sprinkled across the bridge of the nose. I was shorter but that was to be expected. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. I couldn’t panic right now. Not so far from home. Not when I wasn’t even in my own body. I looked again; the shorts were way too short for my comfort. My new legs were on full display. So was my newly acquired chest. I saw traces of black around the eyes. What was that? Paint? No, makeup. My mother sometimes put mascara and eyeliner on. The senior girls in my old school had too. The person whose body I occupied now hadn’t taken it off last night. My mouth felt dirty too with unbrushed teeth. Looking around again, I saw no school uniform of any kind. _I’m in a girl’s bo- woman’s body; I don’t think she’s in school anymore. So I’m in the body of someone older than me. Which means the guy who knocked on the door is probably a roommate. This ‘Myra’ too; I’ve heard seniors in my old school talking about moving to Tokyo for university and finding roommates._ I looked out the window again; it really was quite large. _I’m also somewhere in the West. I don’t think I’ve seen so many skyscrapers clustered around like this in pictures of European cities so I might be in America. But which city, I don’t know. Assuming my guess is right._

There was nothing else I could figure out from the bedroom or looking at myself; I had to talk to the two others. I went to the door and opened it, peering into the hallway. It was a bit dark, with doors rather than windows. Probably leading to other bedrooms or a bathroom. At the end of the hall was a stream of sunlight as well as noise. The scent of coffee was wafting my way; some things never changed no matter where you were. I went quietly down the hall. My chest moved as I did and I grimaced at the foreign feeling. I crossed my arms over my chest to keep things in place. As I went to the light the sounds became clearer and when I rounded the corner, the end of the hallway opened up to a living room. There was a white man holding a plain blue mug with both hands, staring blanking at the T.V in front of him. His blond hair was a mess. He took a sip of his drink before looking at me. The blue of his eyes was startling and very different from the blue of Ann’s eyes. “Morning.”

“Good morning.” I said quietly, starting to bow a little. I caught myself quickly and straightened back up. The man didn’t seem to notice. His voice had a different accent, lighter and not as pronounced. This was a third person in the apartment, as I saw no stairs to indicate it was a house.

“You forgot to take your makeup off last night.” he noted before sipping more of his drink. From the smell, I was pretty sure it was coffee.

“Um… yes.” I replied.

“Pancakes are in the kitchen. Myra’s almost finished.”

“Flapjacks.” I turned to see the man who had been knocking at the bedroom door. His skin was dark, like polished wood and with a smoothly shaven head. Gold studs shone from his ears. “Mornin’ sweet pea. Feelin’ better?”

I swallowed. My stomach growled but I ignored it. The sooner I got this over with the better. “No, not really. Something’s wrong.”

This caught the blond man’s attention. He put his coffee down, eyes more focused. “What’s wrong Alexandra?”

Alexandra. So that was the name of the person whose body I was in. A Western name. “I’m not… myself right now.” How was I going to explain this? Would they even believe me? How would I convince them? Maybe pretending I was this Alexandra would be the better move.

The dark-skinned man sat down next to the white man on the couch. “What do ya mean?” He began to cut his pancakes into pieces.

“I’m not-look I know this will sound crazy but I’m not lying.” I cautioned. Both men waited patiently for me to continue. “I’m not-I’m not the person you think I am. I’m not Alexandra.”

Both raised their eyebrows and then looked at one another. “Okaaaay…” the blond drew out. “Then who are you?”

“My name is Kurusu Akira. I’m a 2nd year stu-.” I stopped as the two men began to laugh. I stared at them in confusion and shock.

“You had me going there for a second.” The blond said.

The dark man popped a piece of syrup-soaked pancake into his mouth. “Oh sweet pea, ya gotta stop tryin’ to pull the wool over our eye. I was born on a farm, not in a stable.”

“I’m not joking.” I tried not to take it personally; this was honestly the reaction I expected.

“You could have at least picked a different name Alex. Not the name you gave to the Persona 5 protagonist.” The blond added, sipping his coffee again.

Someone came around the same corner as the dark-skinned man had. It was a woman, her thick curls haphazardly pinned up. She was taking off a slightly stained apron. “I don’t want to be left out; what’s the joke?”

“Alex was pretendin’ to be the protag.” The dark-skinned man said. The woman chuckled. Her skin was tanned and she too had a slight accent though it wasn’t similar at all to either of the two men.

I sighed. “I know it sounds like I’m lying, but I’m not. I’m being serious.” The trio ignored me. The woman went back around the corner to what I assumed was the kitchen. She had to be the ‘Myra’ the dark man previously mentioned. “How can I prove it to you?”

“Hmmm… all right. We’ll humor you.” The blond chuckled. “What’s my name?”

“I don’t know.” I answered honestly.

“Don’t play softball!” the dark man scoffed. “What firm do you work for?”

“Firm?” I frowned. “You mean like the police? Or the government?”

The two looked at one another again. The woman, Myra, came back with a plate laden with pancakes in one hand and a small stack of three plates in another hand. She set down the load on the table in front of the couch. “When did you and I first meet?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never met you until just now.”

Myra frowned. “How do you take your coffee?”

“I take it black but I don’t know how Alex- was it Alex? – takes hers.”

The dark-skinned man paused his eating now. He put his plate down. “What’s my sexuality?”

“Your… what?”

“How old are you?”

“I’m 17. I don’t know how old Alex is. An adult? I didn’t see a school uniform.”

The three looked to one another in worry now. “Alexandra, this isn’t funny anymore.” The blond said.

“I’m not joking. I really am telling the truth.”

There was tense silence now. The news on the T.V continued on. “…what’s your last name?”

“Kurusu.”

“…where are we?” Myra pressed.

“I don’t know. A city somewhere in the West. Maybe America.”

“What are ya parent’s names?” the dark man asked.

I sat in a nearby chair. “Mine are Kurusu Ren and Kurusu Himeko. I’m an only child.”

The silence was deafening. The news switched to a commercial for some restaurant. “And you’re… you’re not-you’re not joking. Right?” I shook my head. “Because if you are, Alexandra-“

“I’m not. I promise I’m being truthful. Please believe me.” I bowed a little in my chair, praying they believed me now.

It wasn’t until the commercials ended and the news came back that Myra spoke up; “How?”

“I don’t know. I went to bed back in Leblanc’s attic. When I woke up, I was here.” She leaned back into her chair, expression disturbed and worried. “Might I ask everyone’s names?”

“Myra Alpizar-De la Mora.” She muttered. For a moment I was confused until I remembered in the West, the given name was first.

“I’m Brian Richardson.” The dark man said.

The blond stayed silent for a bit longer, expression unreadable. “…Johnathan Parker.” His gaze froze me with its intensity. “And you’re really not making a joke.” I shook my head. “Then the next question is; where is Alexandra?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I wasn't dead. I hope you enjoyed Akira's side of things. The first several chapters will keep swapping back and forth between Alex and Akira as things are established. Then it will settle mostly with Alexandra's POV.
> 
> Please leave a comment of kudos if you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Guys, I'm not dead I swear! And yes, I will start doing chapters for 'Freedom and Security' as well. No, the two series are not connected. I'll be trying to make a regular update schedule for both stories.
> 
> Please leave kudos if you enjoyed it!


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